Best Cities for Plumbers and Pipefitters

It may not be a glorified profession, but we would all be in trouble if it weren't for plumbers to help with household headaches. The impetus for growth in the plumbing and pipefitting sector is multi-faceted according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. An increase in building over the next decade, a focus on water efficiency standards (think low-flow toilets), and the adoption of a change to the International Residential Code that requires certain buildings to install fire sprinkler systems, all contribute to the increased job prospects for plumbing professionals nationally.

As of 2010, there were approximately 419,900 plumbers and pipefitters employed in the United States. These professionals earned a national average salary of $46,660 per year, and $22.43 per hour. The job growth outlook for plumbers is very good: from 2010 - 2020 the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the number of plumbing jobs to grow 27%, almost double the national average.

So what are some of the best cities for plumbers?

For a deeper look into the plumbing field, ValuePenguin reports on the best cities for plumbers to consider for the best career prospects. We ranked U.S. cities based on three key questions:

1. How much money do plumbers make in the city?

We ranked cities based on the median annual pay as a substantial factor in the decision process for plumbers looking for work. Of course, a high salary for a plumber in an expensive city may not outweigh a lower salary in an affordable town. That's why we posed our second question...

2. How expensive is it to live there?

In conjunction with the median annual salary for plumbers in the city, cost of living helps determine how far your dollar will go. For this particular variable, cities with lower cost of living ranked highly in our study.

3. What is the location quotient for plumbers in the city?

A town with a high average salary and low cost of living may seem perfect, but job opportunities may be limited. Our study factors in cities with a high plumber and pipefitter location quotient. Location quotient measures the concentration of plumbers in the city as a proportion of all occupations relative to the national average. A higher location quotient can be inferred to mean a relatively high demand for plumbers' services.

Select Best Cities for Plumbers and Pipefitters

Gary, IN

Probably best known for being the birthplace of Michael Jackson (and the rest of The Jackson 5), Gary wins the top spot on our list with a strong showing. First, plumbers in this NW Indiana city get paid an enormous $77,120 per year on average. That's 67% more than the US median salary of $46,660 for plumbing professionals in the US. Gary also has an extremely high concentration of plumbers, giving them the 4th best location quotient in our study. Finally, Gary (like all the cities at the top of our list) is a very affordable place to live. It has the 7th lowest cost of living in our study.

Flint, MI

Located along the Flint River about 70 miles outside of Detroit, Flint, MI is a town with a rich history. In this year's ValuePenguin study on the top places for plumbers to live in work Flint placed inside of our Top 10, no small feat. The city's ranking was buoyed by it's cheap cost of living, easily taking the number one spot on our list. But beyond its cost of living, Flint also showcased a higher than average demand for plumbing services, and an average salary that's 35% higher than other cities in the country,

Kokomo, IN

This town of roughly 45,000 residents is the least populous city to crack our Top 5 and it does so with solid marks across the board. For starters, Kokomo showcased the 2nd lowest cost of living out of all US cities. The 'City of Firsts' also boasts an average annual salary that's 45% higher than the national median for plumbers and pipefitters. Finally, even though Kokomo has less than 50,000 people living inside of city limits, it has the 5th highest density of plumbers per capita

Appleton, WI

Appleton, one of the 'Fox Cities', is located about 30 miles from Green Bay along the Fox River. The reasons this Wisconsin town made our 'Best Cities for Plumbers and Pipefitters' is due its strong concentration (demand) for plumbers, the 4th highest in our study. Appleton plumbers also get paid about $63,350 per year on average, or 37% higher than the national average for all plumbers and pipefitters.Finally, the cost of living in the Appleton area is very reasonable which means your dollar will go a long way.

Evansville, IN

Indiana's third largest city is located in the southwest corner of the state. There are plenty of opportunities in Evansville for plumbers. Not only does 'The Pocket City' have a high concentration of plumbers jobs per capita, job-seekers can also look forward to a high median salary, $64,150, and a cost of living that is the third best in this year's study.

Top 20 Best Cities for Plumbers Pipefitters

Rank

City

Median Salary

Jobs

Location Quotient

Cost of Living

Score

1

Gary, IN

$77,120

1,860

2.68

86

88

2

Kokomo, IN

$67,010

230

2.19

82

77

3

Evansville, IN

$64,150

950

2.13

84

73

4

Beaumont, TX

$61,860

1,880

4.58

85

72

5

St. Louis, MO

$68,850

4,790

1.44

86

66

6

Fond du Lac, WI

$72,510

210

1.91

94

63

7

Appleton, WI

$63,350

700

2.32

94

62

8

Detroit, MI

$65,510

2,370

1.3

84

60

9

Flint, MI

$62,750

600

1.8

76

59

10

Peoria, IL

$66,110

690

1.46

86

56

11

Cedar Rapids, IA

$62,410

640

1.77

83

54

12

Anchorage, AK

$67,440

840

1.86

135

54

13

Baltimore, MD

$51,460

6,170

1.87

90

50

14

Bremerton-Silverdale, WA

$59,020

730

3.56

108

50

15

Nassau-Suffolk, NY

$87,510

4,550

1.42

160

50

16

Champaign-Urbana, IL

$61,580

480

1.96

96

49

17

Omaha, NE

$56,780

2,120

1.81

86

48

18

Mt. Vernon-Anacortes, WA

$66,420

210

1.87

114

47

19

Longview, WA

$63,370

170

1.9

100

46

20

Kennewick, WA

$65,300

390

1.55

99

46

Study Methodology

Average Salary: cities with the highest average annual salary

Cost of Living: cities with the lowest cost of living. Data sourced from Sperling's Best Places COL Calculator.

Employment: cities with the highest number of biomedical engineering jobs

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